Analyzing Draft Prospects: Dion Jordan

Every year as the NFL Combine begins and the draft draws closer, more names come out and sneak into the draft grade of top ten or solidify first round projection. This year is no different.

Dion Jordan, an Oregon “pass rusher”, is one of those guys. Jordan, who stands 6-6 and weighs in at 245 pounds, was named to the all-PAC 12 team and was a Dick Butkus Award finalist in 2012.

The term “pass rusher” is one of the ways Jordan is defined and is listed as his position by some professionals. Technically, Jordan is a DE/OLB but he spent plenty of time dropping into coverage and even lining up opposite slot wide receivers.

“Because of my athleticism,” says Jordan “I can play with my hand on the ground or I can cover guys in space playing linebacker.”

The Oregon Duck was recruited as a wide receiver out of high school and played tight end in his first year in Eugene. Mike Mayock of NFL Network, one of the most respected minds in NFL Draft knowledge, labeled Jordan as a player with “frightening athletic skills.” At 6-6, the athletic skills necessary to excel on the defensive side of the football are rare.

Jordan spent much of his time with the Ducks in a two-point stance, rarely with his hand on the ground as he described. His position was that of a typical 3-4 linebacker, only more versatile. Jordan lined up on the left, on the right, in the middle, then in the slot; all in a single series. It was impossible for one person to be assigned to Jordan and expect to stop him. Sacking the quarterback 14.5 times in his three years as a pass rusher, the towering athlete was no stranger to getting in the backfield.

The only knock on Jordan is also his greatest strength: his size. At 6-6 he only weighs in at 245 pounds, a weight that would get man-handled by NFL offensive tackles. Mayock added to his analysis: “I think Jordan is two years away from being an Aldon Smith-type player…He’s a situational pass rusher in year one and if he puts 20 pounds on, I think he’s going to be a perennial All-Pro.”

Aldon Smith has sacked the quarterback 33.5 times in his two years in the league. When comparing the two, Jordan has displayed similarities to Smith including many of the same pass rushing moves and nearly identical speed. The NFC Champion was the seventh overall pick in the 2011 draft, an area that would be more likely than drafting Jordan fourth overall, where the Eagles currently sit.

Jordan has two inches on Smith yet is outweighed by 15 pounds. For Jordan to have the same impact he did while at Oregon, he will have to bulk up while remaining fast and fit. Chip Kelly’s defense, like his offense, will be a fast-speed, high-paced defense. Jordan excelled in it before and he seems to be a perfect fit for what the Eagles are expected to look like in 2013.

Without any standout, definite, top-five players in the draft, trading back a couple spots may be a hard move to complete. Teams in need of offensive linemen could benefit from holding a top-five pick with Texas A&M’s Luke Joeckel, Central Michigan’s Eric Fisher, and Alabama’s Chance Warmack all expected to be very high draft picks. Before free agency opens it is unknown what team needs will be like come April 25th, so projecting teams that may want to move up is nearly impossible.

The Eagles “team needs” cover almost all possible positions. A strong draft and an active free agency period will be necessary to compete in 2013.

The risk of “betting on a kid two years from now” (per Mayock) could be highly outweighed by the rewards any player being compared to Aldon Smith could bring. With Oregon’s former head coach leading the show in Philly and Jerry Azzinaro, Dion Jordan’s position coach in Oregon, as Chip Kelly’s second-in-command, there is no reason for Jordan not to be linked to the Eagles early in draft speculation.

The Eagles have many other areas of concern but with Jason Peters, Jason Kelce, and Todd Herremans all returning from injury in 2013, the Eagles offensive line will not be made up of spare parts as in 2012. While the top offensive linemen will be hard to pass on, the Eagles defense is unquestionably the bigger area of concern for the Eagles.

A defensive overhaul and change of scheme is in the works for the Eagles and early draft picks on the defensive side of the ball are all but guaranteed. Dion Jordan has a history with the Eagles new staff and fills an area of need for the team. Come April, Jordan will be one of the names on the Eagles short list of players they will want to join the team.

NOTE: Michael Johnson of the Bengals could make this whole argument invalid. He is reportedly in talks with the Bengals on a contract extension and wants to stay in Cincinnati but if the 6-7, 270 pound, athletic defensive end hits free agency, the Eagles will have to seriously consider spending some of their huge cap space on him.

Follow Brenden on Twitter @brendenp2011 for Eagles news and updates or email him here: BPeddigree2011@gmail.com.

123 Comments for “Analyzing Draft Prospects: Dion Jordan”

Very intriguing Prospect Dion Jordan is as is BYU’s Ezekial Ansah
Who is big and probably naturally stronger than Jordan is at this stage of his development. Obviously with the fimiliarity of Jordan by Kelly and DL Coach,
He would make a nice pick..
The Eagles Best Chance to trade back would be with the Rams who are desperate for an OT who can Start from Day 1..the Top 3 OT (Joeckel, Fisher & Lane Johnson) will all be gone by the Rans 1st Selection (#16)
And the Rams have 2 Picks (16th & 22nd) in the 1st Round

Only if the Eagles Trade back for additional picks, but at #4
The Eagles need a Day 1 Starter and a potential Pro-Bowler and right now I only see 2-3 Players that have that chance in this Draft
OT Fisher, Guard Warmack or DT Star Lotuleile (who I am still not sure about)
And I don’t see selecting a Guard at #4
My Choice would be OT Fisher unless I can get 2 additional
High Picks for him..

Irish, he ain’t nothing like Pierre- Paul. He was chiselled from granite, this kid needs to start eating some sammiches! In all seriousness, in no way, shape, or form, is this kid worth a high 1st rouder! He shouldn’t even be a 1st rounder! Too many good pass rushers, to take a chance on a project. He’s got more Jon Harris in him, than Aldon Smith! It’s asinine, to compare the 2! Mayock is losing it! He thinks Warmack is the #1 player, on his board & thinks Fisher is better than Joeckel. Dudes nuts!

This Draft is not Top Heavy at all,
But there are many good prospects in the
Top 85-100 Selections or so
Eagles have 4 Picks (4,36,68 & 100)
The key for a kick-ass Draft by them is to
Get 2 Additional Selections in this Top 100
Either by trading down from #4 and or Trading a
A Current Player like Trent Cole or Jeremy Maclin is possibly Nick Foles
Or packaging a player like Jenkins or Herremans with a 5th Round Pick to move into that Top 100 or so..

I say more like Aldon Smith of the 49ers who was also thin up top
Coming out of College. JPP was bigger/stronger but definitely “raw” as far as technique when coming out and if he didn’t land on the Giants were they have a history of developing DE with talented players alongside him, he probably would be still struggling to the Pro Game in my opinion

Example Send Raiders Jenkins and a 5th Round Pick for their 4th Round pick (#99), Raiders need a DT and GM Mckenzie is from the Packers and knows Jenkins very well
Or Trade Herremans and a 5th Round Pick to Chiefs for their 4th Round (#97)

I would be all for Eagles trading #4 Pick to the Rams for their 16 & 22 picks and Eagles could get Safety Viccaro or Jordan or Absah at 16
And then select CB Rhodes or Trufant at #22 which would be a great 1st Round and building blocks for the future Eagles Defense..

Do not like Jordan. He shouldn’t even be a 1st rounder. Don’t waste a 1st rounder on a project. But the rest of your guys are good. Add Baccari Rambo in 3rd & Justin Hunter in 4th. BTW, my boy Lotuleilei, only weighed in at 311. Too small to be a NT! Maybe 3-4 DE, & get Brandon Williams in the 3rd.

Sometimes DCar, you draft for potential. Because he was an Oregon Player under CK, he may have to be overdrafted somewhat, in order to be drafted by the Eagles. Potentially, he has just as high an upside as DeMontre Moore, or an uninjured Jarvis Jones; The difference is his ability to drop in coverage, and stay foot for foot with RB’s. I draft him…

We disagree on Justin Hunter, when Rogers, was at Tennessee between He, and Hunter…Da’Rick Rogers was the better talent..Good player, but I pass on Justin Hunter….

I like Rambo, but I think I get more physicality from Sia Moore, with more speed than Rambo……

gm, we don’t have the leeway, to be wasting a 1st rounder, on a project, on a team full of holes! Our 1st 2-4 picks HAVE TO, contribute right away. He’s also a injury concern. He’s getting labrum & rotator cuff surgery, & will be sidelined for 3-4 months! NO WAY, NO HOW! I’ll take any of the 3 Tennessee WR’s- Patterson, Rogers, Hunter. In that order. I know you had Williams in the 3rd, I was saying Lotuleilei, as DE & Brandon Williams in the 3rd. Would be joygasmic! BWAHAHAHA!!!!

That would be cool if they don’t use a 1st Round pick on Jordan, but at this point, even with the upcoming surgery, he still has a 1st Round grade. But yeah, absolutely, if I can get him at the top of the 2nd, I flip flop, he, and DJ Fluker……

Star I’d dropping and may end up a mid-1st Rounder
The entire NFL Crew are higher on DT Shariff Floyd as a Top 5
Pick and probably the 1st DT Selected who played versus much better OL
In the SEC than did Star while at Utah.. I am not that enamored with
Star with the #4 Pick

For the record both WVU players QB Geno Smith and especially WR Tavon had very strong workouts this morning and helped themselves out

GCliff, Your stealing my Players like Mellott
I actually saw him play Live twice since Elon plays my local University Appalachian State each year in the Douthern Conference
I am also high on Safety JJ Wilcox from Georgia Southern and FB
Eric Brietinstein from Wofford as an undrafted FB to pick-Up
(Eric B is from my local Town of Boone)

GM Cliff I like Ray Ray Armstrong at SS. A former Hurricane with size and the ability to play the pass (ended up at a small school due to a suspension issue). Draft him and sign Byrd and saftey position is solid. On Jordan, I believe he is also having shoulder surgery and will be out for something like 4 months. So, if the Eagles like him the injury will likely ensure they wouldn’t have to use a 1st on him, as he’s sure to fall into the 2nd or 3rd round.

Everz, That would be cool if they don’t use a 1st Round pick on Jordan, but at this point, even with the upcoming surgery, he still has a 1st Round grade. But yeah, absolutely, if I can get him at the top of the 2nd, I flip flop, he, and DJ Fluker……

Armstrong fro me drops to the later 6th- UFA, because he transferred to Faulkner, he lost a year of eligibility, so he didn’t play football this year. I like him as a project Safety, that can help on Special Teams.

I’m calling TE with the 2nd round pick….Eifert for sure if he’s still there (don’t think he will be after his day yesterday, but can hope)

But…if they do make Paulman’s trade with STL (doubtful….but will consider it for fun). then Eagles guaranteed to get out of 1st round with either Warmack(who seems to be rising from the teens) or Milner and Eifert.

Vinnie we won’t need to draft a TE that high, if we can sign Delanie Walker.

Michael Williams is THE BEST Blocking TE, in this draft. He is also underrated as a pass catcher as well; very under utilized in Alabama’s Offense. Has more upside that Efert, who to me will be a flop as a pro.

I think he will be a journeyman player, who never fulfilled the hype. Some of these guys are so ovehyped, that they will never live up to expectations. He’s just ok; He wasn’t that fast, and he isn’t much of a blocker, but some will hype him because, he’s one of the better talented TE’s coming into the draft, but will that translate to the pros.

Coby Fleener was hyped like that, and he was better than Efert, and he wasn’t all that, in fact he stunk.

Walker is a better blocker, and Offensive threat than any TE coming into the draft, despite his measurables…….

We get too caught up in the potential of some of these prospects that we lose sight of the fact that until they get drafted they are not professionals until they are drafted, and perform in the league. Walker is already a professional…and an All-Pro Talent at that…..

Efert has potential, but all that means is that he hasn’t proven anything yet. Walker has, and I’d rather have Delanie Walker…….

So in other words Cliff the draft is worthless so let’s not get excited about young guys with potential only guys who have done it before. So where do all the young guys go to get experience? You know I’m just busting your stones right? LOL

There has to be a balance of quality. Veterans, and young player. Biggie ‘m just tired of the mediocrity of talent year after year, and the team as a whole never gets any better.

People shine at the combine, or in A game, and all of the sudden, some are slobbering saying “Oh, we have got to have him on the Eagles, and he’s overrated, and overhyped,{ Dee Millner, Chance Warkmack, Matt Elam, Eifert, Sheldon Richardson, Shariff Floyd, etc…..and we pass on potential All Pros because we can’t see beyond the obvious.

Jott, the experts say that all the time, and these so-called legit TE’s turn out to be nothing. Who was the last impactful TE drafted in the first 2 Rounds…other than Gronkowski, and Vernon Davis? And how many years have they been saying that and every last one of them are bust.

I predict most of them. if not all of them. won’t be starters, because most of them still need to put on weight, get faster, learn how to block, and grow into NFL Players.

Jared Cook was another of those overrated bums. Paul, he has nothing on Celek. Gresham’s OK, but I still feel if he didn’t have to compensate for the OLines ineptness, he may have been closer to a Pro Bowl TE; He has shown plenty of flash.

****News, making rounds at the combine, that if they aren’t franchised, the Birds are targeting, Sean Smith & Jairius Byrd. Also Reid offered a 3rd rounder for Foles.**** I’d do all 3. Dickhead, weaselman is trying to fleece the Hindenburg, for his 2nd! XD Dude, is SOOOOO F^#@ING clueless!!!!

They’re DELUSIONAL, & have NO F^#@ING shot, if they think they’ll get a package like that! This ain’t Madden, & we ain’t fleecing the Cards! WTF! Rosebuds bettet submit to Gamble, or this off-season is gonna be a train wreck, in a 5 alarm fire!

The Sean Smith/Byrd rumours are intruiging…ey’re being “targeted” by about 1/2 the teams in the NFL.

Trading away the best QB on the roster would be a mistake.

However, there is no way a Vick/Foles dynamic could possibly work. It leaves no room for error for either one of them. Neither would every be able to have a bad quarter, let alone a bad game, without calls for the other.

Foles and Vick on the same roster would undoubetedly detiorate into a festering year long QB controversy. And that never works.

Yeah Vin, but we have the most cap space, especially if NoDee ASSomugha gets axed! No using that cap space, is another story. If Smith’s demands of a 3 year, 8M per guaranteed are true, he can hit the bricks!

Sean Smith sucks! Was targeted a league high 113 times and was beat so many times and was not even a top 30 cornerback per pro football focus….he was pitiful this season and is not worth any amount of money

Eagles would not consider Trading Foles unless a 2nd Round Pick
nd maybe a Future 4th Rounder too..
And Foles is not a stiff like Feely/Kafka, it’s not even a comparison
With those two.. After watching the QB’s in Indy, I would rather build with Foles than what I saw at the Combine this morning.. This year’s QB Draft Class needs 2 years at least before any of them make an impact

He just finished his a rookie Year Cliff, I am nut saying he’s Elite, but he will most likely will become one playing with Luck
Was Vernon Davis, Gronkiwski or Hernandez or Finley or even Graham Elite their Rookie Seasons.. A lot has to do with who your QB is??

Look at the Top Teams around the NFL who all have dynamic TE’s.
Most have invested an early round pick (first 3 Rounds) in the TE Position and it’s paid off.. The Eagles continually have undervalued the Position like LB and always hope to find a diamond in the rough at both positions in the 5-7 Rounds.
Sooner or later, if you want a game changer at a Position, you have to select one of the highly rated ones

Mortensen reported Lotulelei’s left ventricle is pumping at 44 percent efficiency, below the normal range of 55 percent to 70 percent. He will undergo more tests in Utah and he plans to work out next month.

That really sucks. Between that & only weighing 311, he might drop hard. Between him & Te’o, both of my end of the seasons bro-loves, have hit hard times. They both might drop out of the 1st. If true, Star might need heart surgery. He’s a heart attack risk. DAMN SHAME!

No doubt foles is better than any potential draft qb this year, but I am not confident the birds go this way, this is a queer organization, I would trust gmcliff, paulman and dcar to make these picks over what this puss howie will decide, I I would trust myself over anyone else if I became so invested in the draft, which I do not because to me as much as I enjoy following great prospects, I have little confidence that eagles make the right pick, so

I’d do it for peanuts & would draft better. I have more athletic acumen in my urine, than Weaselman, the glorified Accountant! The only sport he has ever played, is pocket billiards! I have ZERO faith in him, & lets hope, that the hiring of Gamble, is a sign that limp wrist Lurie came to his senses, & doesn’t trust his dick puppet!

Thnx for the Confidence Jake
If Eagles stay at #4 (and that’s a big if) then I think the Selection
Is OT Eric Fisher who OL Coach Southland will absolutely love..
I believe earlier big names like DT Star and LB Jarvis Jones are dropping to mid 1st Round Sekections due to red flags about their Health issues
I would be happy with this selection for the record also..

I’d trade down, & pick up additional picks. If they draft either Joeckel, or Fisher, they gotta git rid of Peters (which I think anyways), since he’s due to make $10.4M, is 31, 350 lbs, & coming off of 2 Achilles tears. Both, are plug & play, for a decade, from day 1. You DON’T draft them at 4, & switch them to RT! No more Hindenburg moves of, squeezing square pegs, into round holes! We need at least, our 1st 4 picks to be HR’s. If they do draft 1 of Joeckel, Fisher, or Warmack, they better be getting additional picks, in the top half of draft. We have many needs on DF. IMHO, there are TOO many defensive holes, TOO many good-great O-line FA’s, to be wasting a high pick, on a O-linemen! Trade down, for more picks, sign 2 FA O-linemen, Byrd & Sean Smith, release Peters & ASSomugha, trade Maclin, Cole, & either Vick/Foles, draft Defensive playmakers all over the draft. We can get good O-linemen, in the 2nd & 3rd. Get a big WR in the 3rd. PERIOD!!!!

Lol!! I don’t take any offense with them taking Eifert Vinnie , Good Brother. I just wanted to state my concern, for a player that, may not turn out to be what we are looking for….My thinking isn’t law. Just my opinion, but I still highly respect yours.

No players from ND, anywhere high in the draft! They’re overrated, & over-hyped! I’d take all of Ertz, Escobar, McDonald, & Kelce, over him. When has the last time, a pick from ND panned out? Tim Brown? Montana? Ricky Watters? Joe Theismann? You can have him Vinnie!

Paul, where’s he playing, DE? Too small for a 3-4 NT! 6’3″ 297lbs. Perfect as a 4-3 all purpose DT. Or a 3-4 DE. Get him, & Brandon Williams in 3rd. You have Cox- Williams- Floyd, for the foreseable future. Whatcha think?

We need 7 players out of the top 100 and 5 must be on D probably all should be. If we can get a piece or two in FA that may change things. I would not be shocked to see DRC return but a number that can be risked and then cut him if he quits again. I hate quiters but…Would you really have played for Andy Reid last season with all the BS that was going on in house???

La Canfora reported that the 49ers have told inquiring teams that they have completed a trade, but it cannot be finalized until the league year officially begins on March 12.

The other team involved in the trade wasn’t immediately clear. La Canfora speculated that the teams that make the most sense would be the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers. Yahoo Sports’ Jason Cole reported Saturday that the Chiefs were among the most active pursuers of Smith.

I actually thing they will take a qb early in this draft. I think vick will just be here to not show their hand. Been thinking this way for a while now. That said…. nothing would surprise me at his point.

That will not work. It won’t fly in the locker room, and it definitely will not fly with the fans.

But most importantly, it places neither player in a position to succeed, for they will both be shackled by expectations. Both too afraid to make a mistake, for they would not be granted any wiggle room by a fanbase (and team) that knows, or at least thinks it knows what the other “can” accomplish.

Neither would ever be able to make an error without players, coaches, and fans saying (or at least thinking) that the team would be better off with the other.

A rook QB (with either MV of Foles) would not elicit this kind of feeling if the starter were to struggle (at least not for the first 1/2 the season…patience might wear thin after that).

But if Vick is in and Foles is on the bench, disaster. One errant pass, or one patented fumble and its “We. Want. Nick Foles. Clp-clap-clapclapclap” Same the other way around (though not as much as more people realize Vick is finished, and he would be on a shorter leash (oh the pun!!) than Foles would be.

Good News, Jenkins will be picked up quickly (probably by the Raiders who
have DT Bryant (arrested over the weekend) Richard Seymour as Free-Agent and teh aging,overpaid Thomas Kelly… Raiders GM McKenzie nad Jenkins are on friendly Terms from when McKenzie worked as PLayer Personnel Director for the Packers and know each other really well.. Look for Charles Woodson to play for Belichek or the Raiders to play for MCKenzie..

I hate the Raiders Dcar.. but everyone keeps thinking on them still being run by Al Davis which is incorrect.. Raleigh McKenzie is running the Franchise from the Football side of things and he was a 10 Year Employee in the GB Packers Organization so things are not done as usual like everyone assuems.. McKenzie will rebuild this Franchise like he helped the PAckers and that’s thru the Draft and solid Coaching and key acquisitions, it won’t happen overnight obviously, but McKenzie goes back a ways with Jenkins, Woodson,Jennings,Finely and any other Former Packer who he will recruit to go out and play for him..